The present invention relates to a developer container for use with a developer replenishing device in a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly to such a developer container which has an annular flange at a rear end thereof for supporting the developer container on a flat surface in vertical, and two toothed blocks suspended in two opposed notches at the annular flange for engagement with respective toothed blocks at a driving shaft in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for synchronous rotation with the driving shaft.
A developer container for use with a developer replenishing device in a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,935), generally comprises a substantially cylindrical container body A, and a positioning block B for securing the container body A to a developer container rack in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The container body A comprises a protruded coupling flange A1 at a rear end thereof, and a coupling groove A2 around the periphery of the protruded coupling flange A1. Before fastening the positioning block B to the container body A, the container body A cannot be put on a flat surface in vertical for the loading of developer. Further, the container body A is molded from polyethylene, and the positioning block B is molded from acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene. When fastened together, the container body A and the positioning block B cannot be detached from each other. After use, it is difficult to reclaim the waste developer container.